ATTACKS ON NEGROES

Grey River Argus, 12 August 1946, Page 5

ATTACKS ON NEGROES

IN SOUTHERN U.SA. Spread to Alabama City (Rec. 8.40). NEW YORK, Aug. 11. A fight between two white exsoldiers and a Negro touched off race rioting in the town of Athens, in Alabama. In the fighting between fifty and one hundred Negroes were injured, says the Associated Press. One witness said that old crippled Negroes were among many who were knocked down and trampled by white mobs, which were estimated to total two thousand men.

At one stage, Negroes' were chased off the streets. About ten whites have been arrested. A semblance of order was restored by nightfall, after law enforcement officers from all over Northern Alabama had poured into Athens. A local State Guard company has been mobilised to keep peace. AH of the stores and cinemas were closed at six p.m.

Gangs of whites tried to enter several shops in which there were Negro customers, but they were barred by the proprietors, who said that they would shoot if the gangs came in. The Federal Bureau . of Investigation has identified several members of the mob responsible for the lynching of four Negroes at Monroe (Georgia) last month. Evidence leading to a complete round-up of the participants is expected to be placed shortly before the State Governor and the Federal .Attorney-General. Apparently there were two mobs involved. One group guarded another road which the party might have used.